It's a Wonderful Luke: A Holiday Tale
by Rhea Jediknight
Summary: Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade, ObiWan Kenobi, Leia Organa Solo. Alternate universe. Luke gets thrown into a universe where he had never been born. Inspired by the Christmas film by Frank Capra


This is a holiday tale I wrote a while back and some of you have read it. I have revised it and I hope you enjoy this short Christmas story.

Title: It's A Wonderful Luke: A Holiday Tale

Author: Rhea Jediknight

Rating: PG

Disclaimer : I make no claim on the Star Wars copyright. I have not nor will I ever make any money from the sale of this story. This is written with the intent to support the fan base and not in an effort to make money. This work is based on characters and situations that are owned by George Lucas and Lucasfilms Ltd and Timothy Zahn.

It's a Wonderful Luke A Holiday Tale

The Jedi held the holocron exploring the smooth exterior. It was not like other holocrons he had seen before, but this was the first time he had ever possessed one that Obi-Wan Kenobi had created. Mara had given the artifact to him as a Solstice gift. They were not going to celebrate the holiday until this evening, but she felt that he would want to examine the item in private first. Besides, she had laughed, he would probably sense it in the apartment.

Luke smiled at the memory. He had been ecstatic at the gift and had asked how she had acquired it. She had answered cryptically, "I have my ways."

His mind began to wander to past celebrations. Luke was always melancholy around the holidays. The season reminded him of the friends and family he had lost. When he was a boy, Aunt Beru would make her special sweet fruit pudding. Uncle Owen and Luke would hang tinsel all over the house so that the slightest breeze would sound like the ringing of bells.

Whenever he though of those days, it was always followed by an image of the burning homestead. The blackened bodies. And the guilt. It was all his fault. If he had never come into their lives they would even now be drinking spiced cider and singing traditional songs. Wherever he went, he brought pain and death. He remembered the torture Han, Leia, and Chewbacca had endured on his behalf. The lost friends he failed to save when he was a part of Rogue Squadron. He was so tired, so tired. Tears began to trace down his face and he was glad that the others were in the other room and would not witness his despair. He was careful to keep the emotion from the bond that he and Mara shared. He wished to spare all of them pain. His guilt was almost overwhelming and he sometimes wished that he had never been born.

A flash of light blinded him and the holocron was gone. Luke jumped up and swayed as dizziness threatened to overtake him. The force buzzed around his head, warning him of danger in almost every direction. He dashed out of the room and saw that all of the decorations were gone. All evidence of the Solstice eve celebration had vanished. The room was empty.

Luke sent out a force probe to make contact with Mara and slammed against a barrier. Alarms flared in the Jedi and he left the apartment. He sensed a disturbance in the force and continued to move across the exterior corridors of Coruscant. The traffic moved in an unusually orderly pattern over his head and when he glanced up he saw that the moon was unusually low in the sky. As he peered closer at the moon, he suddenly felt as if he were standing on Hoth without a jacket. Goosebumps spread across his body, and he rubbed his arms as shock coursed through his veins. That was no moon, that was the Death Star.

He stumbled back into a main corridor and stopped abruptly. An entire complement of storm troopers marched down the passageway. Luke's eyes were wide as he watched them go. The Jedi closed his eyes and concentrated on the force, in an attempt to understand the day's events. Behind the storm troopers a woman walked regally in their wake. It was Leia, her eyes were dark and Luke ran toward her and grabbed her hand, trying to protect her.

"Leia, are you okay?"

Her eyes narrowed and she looked at Luke's hand as if she would burn off his flesh with a mere glance. The Jedi could feel the anger within her, the darkness.

"Leia?" he asked, losing confidence.

A dark figure strode into the corridor behind him. A distinctive rasping breath echoed hollowly against the duracrete walls. Luke's heart stopped. He felt as if he were moving in slow motion as he turned to regard the towering figure.

"Is there a problem?" Darth Vader loomed over the two siblings. His baritone voice sending shivers down Luke's spine.

Luke released his hold on Leia's arm unable to form a single thought.

"A Jedi." The dark lord said contemptuously, and with a wave of his hand, snatched the lightsaber from Luke's belt. The dark side had completely claimed the man who regarded him through the concealing mask.

"Father?" Luke asked.

He was all darkness. He could not feel a flicker of goodness within him.

Shock registered at his words from the darkly helmed figure and then Leia said, "I thought you said all of them were dead, father." She emphasized the last word and shot Luke a venomous look.

Vader silently inspected the blond man and said to his guards, "Take him away."

Luke was placed unresistingly in cuffs by a pair of storm troopers and they led him away.

"There is something about him that is most disturbing." Vader said to his daughter.

"Why did you not strike him down?"

"I wish you to question him, first."

Leia laughed and it was not a pleasant sound. "A smuggler once told me that dead men tell no tales. You are wise dear father."

Luke sat in the narrow cell holding his knees to his chest. Something terrible had happened. That was no longer his father, that was Darth Vader, and he was alive. The Death Star hung like a bad omen in the sky, and Leia was not the loving sister he remembers. She was different, altered somehow.

"What is going on?" He pleaded to no one in particular.

A voice answered, "Much has changed without you."

"Ben?"

The glowing form of Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared beside Luke. He sat down on the bench next to the Jedi.

"Every life is like a thread woven in a tapestry. Remove one thread and the entire picture unravels."

Luke shook his head "I don't understand."

"You see, you have never been born."

Luke jumped up and began pacing, "You're crazy. I'm right next to you."

"You exist, yes. But you wished that you had never been born. You were not there to effect the events of the galaxy."

Suddenly, everything made sense. The holocron! "You're telling me that the holocron you created took my idle thoughts and managed to change reality?" Luke just about shouted.

Obi-Wan smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders, "It's just another point of view."

"Not that again." Luke groaned.

"Calm down, Luke. Feel the force flowing through you . In this way you can find the truth." Obi-Wan faded away.

"Ben! Ben!" Luke slumped to the ground.

Luke sensed a dark power approaching the door. He stood only to sit down when he saw Leia enter the room. The dark side clung to her like a shadow. Luke was filled with sorrow that she had fallen so far.

"How could you, Leia?" he asked despairingly.

She looked curiously at him. "You seem familiar somehow, and yet I'm sure we've never met."

"I'm your brother."

Her eyebrows rose for a moment but she didn't say anything. A slight smile crested her lips and Luke doubted she believed him.

"You were an inspiration. A leader of the Rebellion," he continued.

Her face grew ugly at these words, "There is no Rebellion. Once the Death Star destroyed Yavin IV, the Rebellion was crushed. The war was over. The Empire had won and I was left with one living relative, my father. And he showed me more power than I ever dreamed possible."

"What about Han, the kids?"

"Han?"

"Han Solo?"

"The smuggler? I talk to him every day. Father and I captured him years ago. He still hangs on my bedroom wall, frozen in carbonite. He's quite a good companion. He never interrupts and he doesn't make a mess."

"I don't understand." But he did. He couldn't hide the horror at the image she presented to him.

"Just between you and me, brother," she mocked, "I actually found him kind of charming in a rough sort of way. I decided Jabba's palace was no place to spend a lifetime so I paid his bounty and sent Boba Fett back to his master."

"What about the Emperor?"

"He died long ago." There was something about the way she said that, Luke was sure she was somehow responsible for that event. He was numb, wondering if he would live out the remainder of his days in this nightmare. His thoughts rushed to the woman he loved. What had become of her in this hell?

"And. . . Mara Jade?" He was almost afraid to learn the answer. Luke held his breath.

"How do you know Mara Jade?" Leia pierced his mental barriers with an ease that was frightening. "You're in love with her. I can see it in your mind." She began to pace the narrow cell. "I think it's time that I asked some of the questions, brother. Where is she? I can sense her nearby." She turned to face him and he could see nothing of his sister in her features. Leia was gone.

Luke tried to sense Mara, but was again thrown against a mental wall.

"I don't know."

Leia tried to pry deeper into his mind, but Luke managed to push her away, but not before she had seen enough to be confused.

She took a long look at him then turned on her heel and left the cell.

Luke sat there thinking for a while. Was this truly reality? Would he ever get free? He couldn't just sit and do nothing while he waited for his execution. For he had little doubt that they would eventually kill him. He had to escape Imperial custody. Luke stood on the small bench and spied a ventilation hatch high in the ceiling. He force jumped and grabbed the grating. He had almost removed the panel when the door opened. He had not sensed anyone approaching and almost dropped in surprise.

A low familiar laugh caused a chill to go up his spine and he dropped to the ground.

"You won't get out that way, Jedi."

It was Mara Jade. She was dressed in a black form fitting flight suit, her red hair was cut short and just brushed her shoulders. She was beautiful, but there was a hardness in her eyes the he had never seen in his wife.

"Don't just stand there gawking. We have to get you out of here."

He smiled and he suppressed an almost overwhelming urge to kiss her. She sensed his impulse and stepped back, eyeing him curiously. They made a dash passed unconscious storm troopers and before long left the Imperial Capitol behind.

They made their way to a hidden air taxi and quickly climbed inside. Mara punched in a command on the panel of the vehicle and they slumped in unison on the seats as it sped away.

Luke was the first to break the silence, "Why did you come for me?"

She turned to regard him, her green eyes piercing him in the dim lighting of the evening sky. "Any enemy of Vader's is an ally of mine." She paused and then asked, "Why did Organa tell Vader that you were my husband?"

At his perplexed look Mara raised a hand to reveal a small device, "I tapped into Vader's circuits a long time ago. I can hear everything that he hears."

Luke was impressed by her ingenuity and wondered what he should reveal. "Well that is a very long story." Luke began. Should he explain everything? But despite their circumstances, this was Mara Jade. Maybe not his Mara anymore, but he felt compelled to share with her everything that had transpired. Slowly at first and then more quickly he told her. She listened quietly, sometimes looking disbelievingly, other times wondrously, and at the end thoughtful. Before she could comment they had arrived at their destination on the far side of Coruscant.

They left the vehicle behind and walked in silence. They made their way into a nondescript apartment that had a very high tech security system. Mara showed Luke into the room and said, "Stay here. I have to do a few things before I can call it a night."

Luke nodded not sure what to say and sensed that she was trying to come to terms with all that he had told her. For some reason she seemed to believe him or at least not to dismiss him out of hand.

Mara did not return that evening. Luke spent the night unable to sleep. When he had attempted to leave the small apartment, he had been surprised to find the doorway flanked by two Imperial Guards. Knowing of their legendary prowess and being unarmed, Luke backed away from the door. He had no place to go anyway. He wanted to see Mara anyway. The Jedi spent the evening watching the news holos He was horrified at what he had learned. The Empire ruled the galaxy with an iron fist. Many planets had been destroyed, and many species eliminated. All holidays were outlawed except the few that honored the glories of the Empire. And no one celebrated the Solstice holiday for fear of Imperial execution.

The Jedi sensed Mara's return a moment before she entered the room. She began without preamble, "I check out your story." She sat down and looked him in the eye. "There was an Owen and Beru Lars that lived on a moisture farm on Tatooine, but they were killed by Tusken Raiders a few years after the clone wars."

"Killed? But that makes no sense." Luke was stunned.

She nodded. "Your mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, died in the Jedi purges shortly after the date you say you were born. I guess he never made it to Tatooine. And you're rebel friends all died in battles against the Empire."

Luke was quiet. "I guess that means that you believe my story?"

She leaned toward him. Luke was lost in her eyes. He could detect the loneliness there for just a moment before she reinforced her mental barriers. He was filled with an irrational guilt that he had betrayed her by not being there for Mara in her lifetime. She placed her hands on either side of his head and kissed him. Luke responded easily. The passion was there. Their memories were different, but she was still his love. He could not help but feel that this was still his Mara. Luke buried his fingers in her hair. It felt so good to be touching her. The stress of his situation faded into the background and he had to remind himself not to allow this kiss to progress to something more. She moaned so softly that he wondered if he had imagined the sound. Mara was the first to pull back.

Her eyes were wide and her lips swollen. "I wasn't sure if I could have ever married you," she breathed.

He felt lost in her gaze and never wanted to look away. Luke replied, "What was your conclusion?" His voice was a little breathless.

Mara's stood up and turned her back on him, breaking eye contact. After a moment she turned to face him and her mouth quirked up at the corner. "It's too crazy to be a lie. Besides, I checked for your record and you don't exist. But genetically, you are the son of Darth Vader."

Luke looked down and saw that she had a blaster pointed directly at him. "Which means that I can't trust you. Not that I trust anyone, but I was hoping that we would be able to work together."

"Wait."

"Sorry, Skywalker. But you're a liability."

"But can you think of better bait to maneuver Vader?"

She paused, consideringly and then lowered her blaster.

"You've got a point there." She pulled a chain at her neck so that a large green gem emerged from her tunic to glisten in the light. She tore the chair off of her neck and tossed it to Luke. "Here. You have a couple of hours to arm yourself. You'll find the parts you need in the drawer over there." Mara indicated an end table. She stood up, reholstered her weapon and left the room.

Mystified, Luke inspected the gem and realized it was the crystal that was the power source of a lightsaber. Luke smiled ruefully. She was always full of surprised.

After constructing his lightsaber, Luke meditated. He sat on the floor and deliberately attempted to contact Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Ben, hear me!" he cried.

The astral form of his former teacher quickly appeared. He was unchanged from the last time Luke had taken his first lightsaber lesson from him on the Millennium Falcon. He was not the young man that died some time after the Clone Wars.

"The records here say that you died in the Jedi purges." Luke said.

Ben nodded his head and said, "Because you were never born, there was no need for me to go back to Tatooine. And because I was not on Tatooine to protect you, I was not there to stop the Tusken Raiders from killing the Lars family. So you see Luke, you were not responsible for their death. If anything, you gave them more years by being in their lives."

Luke was silent for a moment absorbing this information. Ben waited patiently for his former student to meet his eyes. "Will I ever go back to my life, the way it was?" Luke asked.

"That's up to you." Ben said cryptically and faded away from sight.

Luke snorted and rolled his eyes. He wished just once he could get a straight answer from him.

The main plaza was relatively empty. Luke wondered if many of the people of Coruscant were home celebrating the Solstice Eve holiday in secret, or perhaps they found it too depressing to go about "normal" business on such a night as this. For whatever reason, the air traffic was relatively slow and he found himself sitting toward the top step of a grand staircase watching the Death Star slowly move across the sky. He could see another ship in the distance and when he closed his eyes and sensed with the force, he was sure it was a Star Destroyer.

Mara was up to something, he was sure. She had asked him to wait here and he sat quietly awaiting her return. He did not have much time to wonder what was going on, for he sensed the dark presence a moment before a tall figure in a long dark cloak crested the stairs above him. Luke stood abruptly, his lightsaber hilt gripped tightly in his hand. Darth Vader regarded him silently. The only sound was the dark lord's rasping breath. Luke could sense no good left in him. He was old, worn out. It was amazing he had lived this long and the Jedi wondered how he had survived his encounter with the Emperor.

"Leia is a clever daughter. She had discovered a planet with force repelling creatures and used them to take away all of the Emperor's might."

"Ysalamiri?"

"I have never been more proud of her than on that day." The red blade of his lightsaber sprung from his hand and Luke assumed a defensive stance.

"I don't want to fight you, father."

"That's the second time you called me that."

"Search your feelings. You know it to be true."

"I know that you don't belong here. This isn't your world. I'm too old to change my ways and I already have an heir for my Empire."

Mara slowly approached the dark lord from behind. Luke could see her, but still he could not sense her. He was not sure how she managed it, but figured it must be the reason that she had survived so long in the Imperial City. She gave Luke a look that was filled with longing written all over her features. In that moment, he felt his heart break. Luke was ambivalent, knowing that she was going to kill his father. He also knew that Anakin Skywalker was long gone. All that remained was a twisted shell of metal with very little organic material left, and certainly no soul.

Luke walked forward, drawing Darth Vader's attention. The Force warned him of the danger to Mara. When Mara Jade ignited her gold lightsaber he screamed, "No!"

Luke ignited his saber and ran towards them. The dark lord turned, but not before her blade slashed through his chest. Her blade was caught in the resilient metal innards and so she was unable to parry Vader's red blade as it descended toward her.

"No," Luke sobbed as he tried to intercept the crimson blade, but it was too late. Mara dropped. She was dead before she hit the ground.

He gathered her body in his arms and wept. Two red Imperial Guards stepped forward and tugged her inert form from his arms. Luke reluctantly released her, feeling that he was trapped in a bad dream. He watched the crimson forms disappear down the steps. He tried not to look at the slumped form in their arms, tears tracing down his cheeks.

This could not be. This would not be.

Luke closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes and saw that he was sitting in his room. The Jedi holocron was lying inert on the floor. Luke picked it up slowly and he felt Mara's tentative question in his mind. He was so relieved to find her alive that he almost shouted out loud.

"I'm alright, Mara." He sent to her through their bond. He felt such relief that she was alive, that joy suffused his being. He felt an answering rush of love from her and knew that he had come home. The sound of laughter drew him into the other room.

Mara sat on the couch in the corner watching the family open the Solstice eve gifts. She was wearing a long green gown that clung to her in all the right places, and her smile was so warm and open that when Luke approached, he felt tears come to his eyes.

"Luke!" Leia rushed up to him and grabbed him in a huge hug. Luke buried his face in her hair and would not let go when she tried to pull back.

"Is everything alright?" she whispered.

Not wanting to alarm them, he just said, "I'm fine. I'm just a little emotional right now- the holidays and all."

Mara's got up with a concerned expression on her face. She smiled at Han when he asked, "What's up, kid?"

"Do you think he'll ever stop calling me kid?" Luke asked Leia. She smiled fondly at her husband and said, "Do wookies fly?"

They broke apart and Leia grabbed a gift and gave it to Han, which effectively silenced him.

Luke pulled a small golden wrapped box into Mara's hands and put his arm around her shoulders. He bent to kiss her, and only stopped when Han's cough turned into a laugh. Luke flushed and Mara smiled dazed and a little confused by his actions. He could not take his eyes away from her. Luke smiled, revealing in the warmth he felt through their bond. "I love you so much, Mara."

She pulled away and had a quizzical expression on her face, "I know, Luke." She took his hand and pulled him to the couch to sit beside her. She ran her hand along his thigh and they both turned their heads at the sound of Leia's exclamation of delight as she removed a beautiful sea blue scarf. "Oh Han, how did you know that I was eyeing this in the shop?"

Han waggled his eyebrows and said, "I have my ways."

The phrase made Luke remember the other time he had heard Mara telling him the same thing when she broke him out of his cell and when he had asked her about the holocron.

Luke nudged Mara and said, "Aren't you going to open your gift?"

Suddenly shy, Mara turned to inspect the golden wrapped item. She slowly removed the paper and opened the box. A green gem sparkled in the center of black velvet. It was attached to a golden chain. Mara removed the necklace from the box to inspect it more closely. It was a powerful crystal. The main component to a lightsaber. Luke had known when he picked up the box what it contained, but he still felt a momentary surprise when he saw the item. He could almost feel Ben Kenobi laughing.

"Never know when it would be useful to have a spare. It's both beautiful and deadly. It reminded me of you." Luke told her.

"Why thank you, Skywalker." She leaned forward to give Luke a lingering kiss. "You know I once had a dream that I wore a necklace like this." She looked thoughtful for a moment and Luke wondered if the content of her dream mirrored his recent experience. She shook her head and leaned forward to give him a searing kiss. Jacen whistled and they broke apart.

"With thanks like that I should have gotten you that years ago."

"I always have a fondness for beautiful weaponry."

"Have you had a chance to explore your gift, yet." The red-haired woman asked.

Luke nodded and said, "Perhaps I'll tell you about it someday."

Han pulled out a bottle of wine and began to pour, handing out glasses. "Here's to a wonderful family and a happy new year."

They clinked glasses and Luke added, "Here's to a wonderful sister, the best brother-in-law and friend anyone can ask for. Nephews and a niece that do an uncle proud and a wife that I adore. Thank the Maker that we are all together for this special day."

There was such emotion behind his words that they all came forward and grasped each other in a group hug.

Luke thought later that it was the best Solstice celebration he had ever had.


End file.
